Cough is the most common symptom for which patients seek medical advice from primary health care providers. Current antitussive therapies are minimally effective and have side effects that limit their utility. In the United States alone over 2 billion dollars are spent annually on over the counter cough remedies with questionable efficacy, potential toxicity, and abuse potential, with billions more spent annually in sick days and doctor's visits. Cough is the primary mechanism of transmission of airborne infections, including all forms of influenza, tuberculosis, and Bordetella pertussis, the gram negative bacterium causing whooping cough. As such, cough represents a major public health issue that is poorly treated with currently existing therapies. Currently existing cough medications include dextromethorphan and codeine; however these afford limited efficacy effects in clinical trials with significant side effects and are not suitable for chronic use. People suffering from coughing generally take throat lozenges, cough syrups, and cough drops, using these medications for symptomatic relief. While such medications presently exist, there is room for significant improvement in the efficacy of these treatments. Thus, there is a need for new antitussive compositions that are efficacious in suppressing cough.